Fear and Procrastination – the Killers of Productivity and Success

Fear and procrastination go together. Consider this scenario. A woman graduates from college, takes a job that is basically dead end. And yet, five years later, there she sits. Oh, she may dream of a better job, a real career, and even talks with family and friends about it. She gets online and looks at what is available.

Fear and procrastination go together. Consider this scenario. A woman graduates from college, takes a job that is basically dead end. And yet, five years later, there she sits. Oh, she may dream of a better job, a real career, and even talks with family and friends about it. She gets online and looks at what is available. She could go back to school and get some additional skills and qualify for some pretty cool jobs.

But that’s as far as it goes. She never enrolls. She goes to work every day and just dreams. She’s in her box and staying there. Two things are at work her – anxiety over making a change, and the procrastination that comes with that anxiety.

If this sounds like you, even if it is not job related, here are the steps you need to take. They are small ones, but that is how fear and procrastination are overcome – small tasks that build confidence and actually make you feel that you are making progress.

What’s the goal?

What is it that you want that you are not going after? Write it down. Write it down several times and put it around you home – on the frig, on your mirror, on your dashboard, anywhere where you will see it. This will not take long – a little task.

Make Your List

What are the steps to this goal? make a list of each thing you need to do, in the order you need to do it. Divide the tasks up as small as possible. You are not asking yourself to do any of them yet. You are simply making your list – a small task, but one that will break that goal into little steps

Look at Step 1

Maybe step 1 is to craft a resume. Do you feel confident that you can do it? If not, see a resume expert who can do it for you. This step, after all, didn’t take a whole lot from you.

Maybe the first step is taking a course. Will you take it in a physical classroom or online? You may be surprised at all that is offered online these days. You won’t even have to get in your car and drive somewhere. Set your “class time” and stick to it.

Here’s what begins to happen. You “feel” that you are on a path to somewhere. And that feeling is what will keep you going. The little tasks are little successes. And success begets more success. You will see that your fear is gradually going away. With each step, confidence grows. And when you final get to the point of the bigger leaps? You’ll be ready.